The Art For Aid Project was developed by Eastern Métis artist Colleen Gray to collect new and gently used art supplies for remote Indigenous schools and communities across Canada. The goals are:
To connect Indigenous youth to art, through access to quality art tools; To support educators in providing art exploration for youth in remote communities in Canada.
The passionate artist behind it all.
Since 2013, Metis artist Colleen Gray has, been creating and selling her moving and unusual art, using the proceeds to ship art supplies into remote Indigenous schools across Canada.
Many schools in remote communities work with insufficient and often minimal quality art supplies. Colleen believes strongly in the power of art to invite healing and provide a creative vehicle to help break the rigours of isolation for Indigenous youth.
The Governor General of Canada
Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteering
Colleen Gray - June 26, 2019
For her role in supporting art exploration
through access to art supplies and
creative art programs in Canadian remote
Indigenous schools through The Art for Aid
Project.
Support Art for Aid
To donate toward this program, click DONATE and specify that your gift is in support of The Art For Aid Project (Colleen Gray).
To donate art supplies if you live in the Ottawa area, or to purchase art gifts inspired by the art of Colleen Gray in support of The Art For Aid Project, visit the ART FOR AID WEBSITE
To purchase Colleen’s original works and prints, visit the
The items we are sending are of outstanding quality and are made for long hours on the ice. This quality ensures that young people will be safe and warm all day while learning traditional skills. To donate to this program, select "Art For Aid (Colleen Gray)" in the donation drop-down menu.
Art for Aid supports a Land Based Learning Lab in Garden Hill, Manitoba. Through qualified instructors and Elders, this program introduces youth to cultural skills such as ice fishing, ice safety, basic survival skills, food preparation, traditional medicines and more.
For Indigenous people the land and the language are intrinsically linked. Youth spend a week on the land, immersed in a program that is directed in the traditional language as much as possible.
Students often show up for this program with insufficient equipment and have to be turned away.